UN says dozens of civilians killed in north of South Sudan

The United Nations says dozens of civilians have been killed in renewed violence in northern South Sudan over the past 48 hours.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, said it was alarmed by surging clashes in Abiemnom County, in the Ruweng Administrative Area near the border with Sudan. According to the mission, unidentified armed youth attacked the county headquarters, wounding at least 23 people.

In a statement, UNMISS said dozens of civilians and several local officials were reported killed in the fighting. More than 1,000 people have sought temporary shelter at a UN peacekeeping base for protection.

The head of UNMISS, Anita Kiki Gbeho, urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately and engage in constructive dialogue to address their grievances.

The unrest comes amid growing instability in the world’s youngest nation, which gained independence in 2011 but has struggled with civil war, poverty and corruption. Tensions have intensified in recent weeks as a fragile power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar has begun to unravel.

On Friday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned of the country’s deteriorating situation and called for urgent action to prevent a return to full-scale civil war.